On The Go

Contrary to popular belief, dressing comfortably does not equate to dressing shabbily. In fact, the road between shabby and chic is paved with simplicity. It took a while for me to realize it, but looks that are simultaneously effortless yet elegant are always on trend. Unfortunately, when I was younger, my concern for what other people considered stylish drove me to make some pretty questionable fashion choices. Remember hammer pants? Over time I’ve learned that style and comfort can coexist. And, the secret to finding that balance successfully is keeping things simple. Because of my tendency to gravitate toward neutral and monochromatic hues, I was able to create an easy, uniform look with these similarly colored jean separates. So, what do you think? Is simplicity the key to a chic, comfortable look? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.

Like most people, I don’t have a few extra thousand dollars lying around that I can earmark for buying an entire new wardrobe each season. So, ensuring the bucks that I do spend deliver the bang that I want sometimes requires a little planning and a lot of creativity.

When I’m searching for new wardrobe additions, I ask myself one very important question: How will it transition? In other words, can I wear it now while the weather is warmer and later when things (hopefully) begin to cool down? If the answer is no, then back on the rack it goes!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, Florida weather is fairly predictable. There’s only going to be about a month and a half of actual colder temperatures. Which means most of my wardrobe could be categorized as transitional.

It seems that 2015 has been the year of the jumpsuit. And, I totally get it. They’re cool, comfortable and very easy to dress up or down, which are all great attributes of most transitional pieces.

While I’m proud of my curvy body, I’m not super comfortable with having my “assets” on display, so I’ve typically steered clear of jumpsuits. But, this wide-legged beauty from The Loft made me rethink my position recently. The cut of this particular piece, I thought, really worked for my body type. The wider pant leg provides a bit of visual balance by helping reduce the appearance of curviness through the hip area.

The light, tailored jacket I added is perfect for those cooler days. And, when the weather is steamy, I can pair this jumper with some open-toed gladiator heels and minimal jewelry for a nice after-work ensemble.

Do you have some favorite transitional looks for fall? Tell me about them in the comments below.

In just a few short days, I’ll be attending my first college football game of the 2015 season! To say that I’m excited is the biggest understatement ever!

I love my college alma mater, Florida A&M University. I mean, I bleed orange and green! Well, not literally, but you get the picture. So any opportunity I get to rep my team’s colors, I’m all over it.

As I was scrolling through one of my social feeds the other day, I saw that FAMU is participating in the inaugural College Colors Challenge, which is part of the 11th annual College Colors Day celebration.

Since I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge, I decided to share my take on how to freshen up my game day gear and cheer my team on to victory in style.

What do you think? Did I meet the challenge? Let me know in the comments below.

Traveling is one of the things I enjoy most in life. But there are many aspects of the journey – like the pre-planning plan, packing and confinement to tight spaces – I could seriously do without.

I am meticulous when it comes to travel prep. I think my overly-developed attention to detail is enough to drive even the most passive person to contemplate pulling a knife on me. I take the phrase “I just want to make sure,” to a whole new level.

One seemingly benign, yet terribly worrisome aspect of any trip for me is figuring out what my “going away” outfit will be. It has to be comfortable and it has to travel well. I don’t want my clothing to inhibit me, nor do I want to look like I’ve been traveling all day. I want to look impossibly fresh when I arrive at my final destination.

That’s why these linen pants were the perfect choice for a recent trip we took to transport our daughter to college. Granted, the trip is only four hours by car, but the “accordion” look isn’t one I typically go for when I travel. Linen is a material that’s made to crease and wrinkle. So, the longer it’s worn, odds are the better it will look.

That was very true of this simple, yet chic black and white combo I chose for the ride. The elastic waistband in the wide leg pants made sitting for long periods a breeze without any discomfort around the waist area. And the sleeveless shirt made the August heat bearable … but only just. The cutout detail in the back, as well as the high-low hem also took an otherwise unimaginative black shirt to a different level.

Overall, I was really pleased with the way this minimal ensemble turned out and most of all how well it held up. What about you? Any secrets you want to share for traveling in style? Let me know in the comments below.

I’m a woman, so it goes without saying that I have the prerogative to change my mind. On more than one occasion, I’ve shared my dislike for leggings with just about anyone who would listen.

Well, I stand corrected. I absolutely love them. They’re incredibly versatile, not to mention comfortable. Pair them with a jacket and some heels for a more sophisticated look. Or, take a more casual approach by throwing on some flats and a shirt.

If that’s not the definition of a staple piece, I don’t know what is!

Check out how I decided to style mine during a recent jaunt around town. Admittedly, it’s taken a little while for me to jump on the leggings bandwagon. Now that I have, I’m really happy about it. What about you? Are leggings a staple in your wardrobe? If so, what’s your favorite way to style them? Tell me about it in the comments below.

Anyone who’s ever read my blog knows I’m a huge advocate of staple pieces. They’re the foundation that my entire wardrobe is built on. For many people, the mere mention of a “fashion staple” brings to mind the LBD (little black dress). And, they’re right. It’s a classic, and in my opinion, no woman should be without one (or maybe two … okay, three, max)!

When I’m considering a staple piece to add to my closet, I always ask myself a couple of questions:

Is it versatile? Meaning, can it be styled for numerous occasions?

Is it timeless? In 5-10 years from now, will I run the risk of hearing, ‘I remember when people used to wear that’.

Yes, a fashion staple should be dependable. But, one thing it should never be is unimaginative. That’s why this BCBG dress is one of my absolute favorites! It’s comfortable, flowing and most importantly, it’s not boring.

Staple pieces don’t have to be limited to blues, blacks and browns. With a little imagination, most well-crafted pieces will qualify.

What about you? What qualities do you look for in a staple piece? Please, do share in the comments below.

A few posts back, I talked about hot fashion trends this season; one being tulle skirts. I expressed my skepticism about being able to integrate such a non-conventional piece into my wardrobe, but I committed to keeping an open mind to it. And, I’m glad I did.

I saw this little cutie a couple of weeks ago and even though I had no idea what I would do with it, I bought it anyway. Although I don’t necessarily agree, my style has been called conservative by some. For me, conservative is equivalent to boring and I try never to be that.

When styling an outfit, though, I have one rule I try always to adhere to. And, that’s to pair a staple or conventional piece with something a little more fanciful and carefree. That’s why I chose this black, collared shirt to wear with my new tulle skirt and I have to say, I really liked the results.

What about you? What styling standards do you abide by when putting together your signature look? Leave me a comment below and tell me about it.

A recent event I had to attend turned out to be the perfect excuse for getting outside of my black and white box. Don’t get me wrong, the color combo is a classic and will always be one of my favorites. It’s simultaneously clean, funky, sophisticated and edgy. In other words, it’s perfect. But, it’s healthy to mix things up from time to time. And, since the order of the day was comfort, I thought this Hunter Green Bryn Walker cotton tunic that I picked up at Dillard’s worked quite nicely. Check out some similar looks here. During this time of year in Florida, we typically experience that “between seasons” weather – starting out cooler in the mornings and gradually warming throughout the day – so this outfit was great for helping me make it through the transition with a little style and grace. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s a nice gift idea for mom, too! I’m just sayin’ …

Spring is here! So, of course that means bright sun, bright colors and lots of floral prints! Temps today are in the high 70s, so I decided to pair this flowing skirt with a cute little top that shows a little skin, but not too much! I love scarves and think they’re fine to wear year-round. I’ve had this little number forever and today, it turned out to be the perfect accessory to give this laid-back look a little pizzazz!